Drop foot brace



Dec. 22, 1953 J. R. HARRISON 2,663,294

DROP FOOT BRACE Filed Jan. l5, 1952 Z- f-Z Q JNVENTOR. j Z0 JOHN R. HARRISON BY Affili/V157 Patentedv Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE r DROP FOOT BRACE v John R. Harrson,Woodhaven, N. Y.

Application January 5, 1952, Serial No. 265,105

(Cl. 12S- 80) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful' improvements in a drop foot splint.

More specically, the present invention proposes certain improvements in braces orsplints of the type worn by persons suiering from drop foot so as to support the foot, Where the muscles have been weakened or destroyed by certain diseases, against downward movementl about the ankle joint causing the toe of the shoe to be dragged across the floor surface. Braces or splints for the purpose set forth are known, but all prior constructions, due to the rigid formation thereof, have proven uncomfortable to wear due tothe tightness with which the top of the brace has had tobe anchored to the leg resulting in impaired blood circulation in the leg and foot so equipped and chaffng of the legvlesh when the anchorage of the top end of the brace has been loosened to permit freer blood circulation.

The present invention has as its primary purpose the construction of an improved splint which is capable of extending and retracting its length as the foot turns on the ankle during each walking step so as to overcome the objections to the prior art braces and splints.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the splint to have an elongated bar for extension along the rear of thewearers leg and which is formed of end aligned sections having adjacent ends overlapped vand slidably connected together so as to be capable of extending their length as required by the pivotal movement of the foot during each walking step.

Another object of the present invention proposes the pivctalmounting of a bracket on the bottom end of the elongated bar for attachment to the heel of a shoe and which is resiliently urged into a forwardly inclined position in a manner to raise the toe end of the shoe and the foot positioned therein during each step.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drop foot splint which is simple and durable, which is eiectivefforits intended Ypur pose and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawing forming a material part of the present disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a shod foot provided with a drop foot splint in accordance with the present invention.

splint, per se.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the splint, per se, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the splint, per se, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The drop foot splint, according to the present invention, includes an elongated bar It for extension vertically along the back of the leg I I upon the foot of which a conventional shoe I2 is mounted. The shoe I2 is provided at the rear thereof with the usual heel I 4. The bar I Il is formed of end aligned metallic sections IIJa and I Ilb which have adjacent ends overlapped.

Means is provided for slidably joining the adjacent overlapped ends of the sections Illa and IIJb so that the bar I9 will be capable of extending and retracting its length with each walking step. The slidable joining means comprises a pair of laterally extended ears I5 formed on the top end of the bottom section I Bb and bent about the sides of the top section Ia. Similarly, the bottom end of the top section Illa is formed with a pair of laterally extended ears I6. The ears I6 are bent about the sides of the bottom section Illb. Thus, the sections Iiia and IEIb are free for sliding movements relative to one another to adjust the length of the bar I U.

Contact of the sets of ears I5 and I6 with one another upon outward movement of the sections I!!a and Illb retains the sections from being pulled completely apart. Stop means Il is provided on one of the sections of the bar Il? for restricting sliding movements of the sections Ill*l and Ib in a direction to reduce their operative length. In Fig. l, the stop means Il is illustrated as comprising a small screw threaded into the inner face of the lower section Ib to be engaged by the bottom end of the top section Illa so as to restrict downward movement of the upper section lila relative to the lower section Mib.

Mounted on the top end of the top section IUa of the bar Iil, there is a padded leg engaging member I il for engagement about the leg I I at the'calf thereof. The leg engaging member I8 is `C-shaped and arranged to have its open side closed about the leg at the front thereof by a lace i9. Any other means can be employed for closing the leg engaging member I8 about the leg without departing from the scope and intent of the present invention.

A bracket 20 for attachment at the heel I4 of the shoe l2 is pivotally supported on the lower end of the bottom section Ib of the bar lil to pivot on a horizontal axis. The bracket 23 includes a main U-shaped portion 2| shaped to nt snugly about the rear face of the heel I4. The ends of the U-shaped portion 2l rare formed with holes 22, see Fig. 2, through which screws 23 are passed. The screws 23, see Fig. 1, are threaded into the sides of the Yheel I4 fixedly joining the bracket to the heel.

At the back of the heel I4, the U-shaped portion 2i is formed with an upwardly and rearward extended arcuate lug .24 having a ,pair `of laterally spaced apertured tines 25,see Fig. 3. The tines 25 are located at the `ends of Aa horizontally extended tubular boss .23 `formed ,on the lower end of the bottom section Ib of the bar Iii. A rivet 2l' is extended through the boss'ZS and the apertures of the tines 25 pivotally join the bracket 253 to the bar I3. tachment of the bracket ZD'to the bar It permits the foot and shoe I2 carried thereby to have freedom of pivotal movement about the ankle of the leg il. It will be appreciated, of

course, that as the foot pivots to raise the toes thereof, the sliding connection of the bar sections lllfl andith will permit the bar to adjust itself to increase its length accordingly.

Similarly, as the foot pivots to lower the toes,

the sliding connection of the sections lila and 3b will permit the bar lll to shorten its length as required by the degree of pivotal movement of the foot.

Resilient means is provided for holding the bracket 23 in an upwardly inclined position relative to the bar i3 to similarly raise the toe end of the foot and the shoe. The resilient means is characterized by a tube 3e which has its length extended forward and rearward and which is 4integral with the bracket 2| intermediate of its ends. l The tube 3G can be made integral with Vthe U-shaped portion 2i vof the bracket or it can be a separate tube weldedin position within a complementary aperture formed in the U-shaped portion of the bracket. The portion of the tube which extends from the front face of the U-shaped portion 2l of the bracket 23 is housed within a complementary cavity 3! formed in the heel la. The tube 33 is circular in cross-section and has a block 32 freely slidably positioned within the tube 3i?. Extended concentrically from the rear face of the block 32, there is a pin 33. The free end of the pin 33 is slidably extended through a concentric reduced bore portion 3d to bear against the inner face of a depending tail portion 35 of the lower bar section Illb.

The front end of the tube 33 has internal threads 33 and an adjustment nut 31 is threaded into that threaded front end of the tube 30 closing the same. An expansion spring 38 positioned concentrically within the tube 30 operates between the inner face of the nut 31 and the face of the block 32 opposed to the face from which the pin 33 extends. The spring 38 exerts a force on the block 32 tending to slide it rearward within the tube 30 and extending the pin 33 to bear rigidly against the inner face of the tail portion The pivotal atrear bar i@ eliminates the necessity for excessively tightening the leg engaging member I8 about the calf of the leg as to arrest the free circulation of blood in the lower leg and foot.

'Notwithstanding the compartively loose engagement of the leg engaging member I3 with the leg II, the extendable nature of the back bar I il eliminates the tendency of the leg engaging member I8 to slide relative to the leg ll causing the same to be chaired thereby. Thus, the splint of the present invention can be comfortably worn and accomplish its intended purposes at all times.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right ris reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A drop foot brace including a leg engaging member comprising an upper bar secured to said v leg engaging member, a bottom bar member slidably'secured to said upper bar` member and terminating adjacent the heel portion of a shoe, an arcuate vyoke member pivotally secured adjacent the lower end of the bottom bar member, said yoke member including a U-shaped bracket to be secured Vto a shoe and a hollow tube retained between the U-bracket and including plunger means adapted to engage the bottom of said bar member whereby the toes are maintained in raised position and stop means on the lower barmember to limit vertical movement.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bar member includes an extension adjacent said yoke member and fitting therein, and a pivot pin extending between said yoke and extension to provide pivoted movement for said foot.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said tube includes compression means and a pin plunger engaging said tension means and bar member.

JOHN R. HARRSON.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,598,504 Pierce et al Aug. 31, 1926 2,557,603 Invidiato June 19, 1951 FOREGN PATENTS Number Country Date 497,992 France Oct. 2, 1919 

